Park Dental says someone gained unauthorized remote access to a workstation and office email on and off from June 10 through July 22, discovered the same day the access ended, WSLS reports. The practice is posting a HIPAA notice because more than 500 Virginia residents may be affected. Records that might have been reached include names plus contact details, chart numbers, appointments, imaging, diagnoses, and insurance or billing data; Park Dental says the notice does not prove any patient’s information was actually misused and says it has locked down accounts and hired outside investigators.
A traditional folk ensemble from Rajasthan, India, is booked for a Wednesday–Thursday residency at Jefferson Center, WFIR reports. Artistic director Katrina Ji leads a free public Indian folk-dance workshop Wednesday; a ticketed concert is Thursday evening in Shaftman Performance Hall.
City of Salem says country singer-songwriter Trey Pendley headlines the 2026 Star-B-Q on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the Salem Farmers Market (Main and Broad), with Arkansas opener Jake Bradley. Doors at 5 p.m., music at 6:15, wrap about 8:30. Tickets are $10 ahead or $12 day-of; kids 10 and under free, with BBQ vendors on site.
Annie Dillard, the Hollins alumna whose Pulitzer-winning Pilgrim at Tinker Creek grew from Roanoke County woods, died last week at 81. Cardinal News revisits her valley roots and Hollins writing ties.
Readers ranked Roanoke third nationally for fall foliage destinations in USA Today’s 2026 10Best list, behind Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Ohio’s Hocking Hills, WFXR reports. Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge expects Southwest Virginia peak color roughly Oct. 24–Nov. 7, with higher elevations turning first.
WVTF says the 1932 Grandin Theatre is adding subterranean performer space at the rear of the building: bathrooms, showers, a washer and dryer, and technician rooms, all ADA. Executive director Ian Fortier told Radio IQ movie houses were not built for people or stuff backstage. Showtimes stay up during construction, which the foundation says should wrap before the end of the year.
WSLS says Rusty, an 8-year-old black-and-white pit bull mix, has been at the Salem Animal Shelter since February. He is listed as a hospice foster after a cancerous mass; the shelter says he may have one to two years left, and that he likes people, walks, playtime, and other dogs, but is too curious about cats. If those remaining years sound like your assignment, the listing is on WSLS.
Ethan Grunkemeyer, a Penn State transfer who followed James Franklin to Blacksburg, will start at quarterback Saturday against VMI, WDBJ reports. Franklin told reporters Monday he is preparing the Hokies for VMI's triple option and wants fans in early, through Enter Sandman, and staying all four quarters. Virginia Tech is coming off a 3-9 2025 season.
The Least of These is recruiting corporate sponsors and volunteer waitstaff for its sixth annual Dining With Dignity, Saturday, Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. at Elmwood Park. WFIR says the outdoor meal is for unsheltered residents only, not a public ticketed dinner, with waitstaff and menu choices. The downtown ministry says it runs Luck Avenue services without state or federal tax dollars.
Local artist Nicole Gray finished a 60-foot Blue Ridge mural on the north side of Ayres Hall at College Avenue and Clay Street, Roanoke College says. It is her first solo mural, from a concept by college designer James France, and it was done Aug. 17 before students came back. The college says it is the second large campus work after Jon Murrill's 2025 hawk mural at Maroon Village.
WSLS says St. Francis House Food Pantry in Roanoke has watched USDA deliveries drop from more than 8,000 pounds a month in January to below 3,000. Knights of Columbus Council 562 and the Ancient Order of Hibernians are collecting toward 1,500 pounds between them, and the pantry is buying extra to keep the line moving. Drop peanut butter, canned meat, and canned fruit at 820 Campbell Ave. SW, 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Salem beat E.C. Glass 35-17 on Friday after giving up a touchdown on the opening kickoff. WSLS says Jordan McCadden scored in the third and again in the fourth, and Jayden Wood intercepted a tipped pass to close it. Coach Don Holter called it more grit than polish.
William Byrd beat Cave Spring 20-14 on Friday at Bogle Stadium. WSLS says the teams were tied 6-6 at half; Cave Spring went up 14-6 before the Terriers answered, then Gray Matthews broke a 96-yard run for the lead. County rivalry, Week 1, already loud.
Roanoke County's Explore Park ran Insect Fest Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the visitor center courtyard, 56 Roanoke River Parkway. Visit VBR listed stations for monarchs, beetles, fireflies, a trail bug hunt, story time, and booths from master gardeners, beekeepers, and the bird club. Free. We did not hand out the snack prizes.
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026 · Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge
WDBJ says the Salem VA Health Care System's first summer VetFest served more than 250 veterans Saturday, including more than 50 new enrollments. Same-day primary care, mental health, and benefits claims were on offer. Staff hope it comes back next year.
The lake hit full pond 60 years ago. The Smith Mountain Lake Association and Arts Council are throwing a 21-and-up sock hop Saturday, Sept. 5, 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the SML YMCA in Moneta. Retro optional. Tickets in advance; none at the door.
Friday, Aug. 28, 2026 · Smith Mountain Lake Association
Across the Way opened the Exchange on New Year's Eve with Grace Potter and, WFIR reports, is packing the rest of 2026. On the board: an Edgar Allan Poe speakeasy Sept. 10–12, the Lettuce Cook Tour Oct. 1, Maggie Rose Oct. 8, Futurebirds Nov. 20, and two nights of Greensky Bluegrass. Tickets at theexchange.com; they have started booking 2027.
VIA Centers for Neurodevelopment held a grand opening Thursday for a Pediatric ABA clinic at 312 Whitwell Drive, next to its Roanoke Day School. The program is for children 18 months to 6 with autism or other developmental delays; Cardinal News said families were already enrolled. VIA is based in Charlottesville and also runs campuses in Lynchburg and Lexington.
Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center in Roanoke is gearing up for Night Owl on the Town, its biggest fundraiser, set for Sept. 19, WFXR reports. The silent auction opens for bids Friday, Sept. 4, with gala tickets sold through Sept. 14. The center says it is the only federally licensed wildlife veterinary hospital covering this stretch of the state, and the gala usually pulls about a sixth of the annual budget.
Salem Lions Wheels of Hope, run through Salem Area Ministries, plans to hand 125 bikes and safety gear to Salem elementary students starting in 2026-27, WFXR reports. School staff will pick kids who need one; the bike is theirs after that. Stadium concession money is backing it, and they want Salem police, parks rec, and the Roanoke College cycling club in on the safety lessons.
Friendship recognized Richard Chubb, Ted Edlich, and Kris Tilley-Lubbs on Wednesday at its Vision and Values Awards. WSLS reports the senior-living nonprofit has given the awards since 2021 to people whose service has stacked up in the valley. We are not inventing a fourth honoree.
WDBJ reports the city held a vigil Wednesday night for International Overdose Awareness Day. The Virginia Department of Health counted almost 1,200 overdose deaths in the state in 2025. First responders told the station they still want Narcan in houses before the ambulance.
WSLS says the valley's first Wawa is at 1941 W Main Street in Salem and opens Thursday at 8 a.m.; the first 250 customers get a free T-shirt. Mayor Renee Turk joined a VIP "Taste of Wawa" Wednesday, and Feeding Southwest Virginia talked partnership plans.
Ricky Young started Monday as editor in chief at Cardinal News, the Roanoke-based nonprofit. The shop says he is there to grow investigative and accountability reporting in Southwest and Southside Virginia. Young has edited in Denver, Orange County, San Diego, Nashville, and Chattanooga.
The Roanoke Rambler reports former Mayor David Bowers wants city leaders to deny, on the record, that dissolving the Hotel Roanoke Conference Center Commission is a step toward a casino at the hotel. The city has an NDA with an unnamed casino developer who has paid Roanoke $75,000 on a Berglund entertainment-district pitch. The Rambler says it found no public document tying the hotel sale to that developer — and asks City Hall to say so out loud.
Virginia Tech is selling the hotel and the conference center together after folding the conference center under the university foundation. Cardinal News reports the university wants a buyer who keeps the current use — rooms, meetings, the brick at the foot of the Market — not a rumor of what else it could become.
Roanoke City Public Libraries and the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley say they will keep Dolly Parton's Imagination Library going here after her death Tuesday. WSLS reports the program has signed up close to 2,000 children ages 0 to 5. Sign-up help is at the Community Empowerment Center; the books still have to be read aloud.
Roanoke County says the Vinton Library will open at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Every other Roanoke County Public Library stays on regular hours. If that is your Tuesday morning branch, start the coffee later.
More than 400 Roanoke College freshmen are on the 21st R-House this week, part of orientation with Habitat for Humanity of the Roanoke Valley. WFIR reports it is the first Habitat house in Salem since 2014, and the first college build raised stick-by-stick on Chapman Street instead of modules trucked from campus. The two-story, three-bedroom is for a single mother and child; Habitat-Roanoke is marking 40 years.
RAM House has shifted into a new building and is expanding what it can offer people without housing in Roanoke. Cardinal News walked the move. The work is the same; the floor plan is not.
A professional climber scaled the Mill Mountain Star on July 30 for a film project, and city officials spent the next week telling people how that was allowed. Cardinal News has the Field Notes. The star is still the star. Please do not try this on a Tuesday.
